Victim Service Providers Join Forces to Protect Domestic and Sexual Violence Survivors from Fatal and Non-fatal Strangulation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, February 9, 2018
CONTACT: Chris Wilhite, Director of Development and Communications
Phone:  (503) 557-5820; chrisw@cwsor.org

San Diego, Calif., February  9, 2018 — In an effort to safeguard domestic violence survivors from homicide, Clackamas County victim service providers attended the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention this week. The Institute is a four-day training offered by the Alliance for HOPE International to prosecutors, advocates, doctors, and nurses from across America, preparing them to investigate and prosecute non-fatal strangulation cases and advocate for victims.

“It is imperative that we prevent the life threatening and life altering effects of strangulation and hold our society’s most dangerous criminals accountable. I am honored to be part of a multi-disciplinary effort of caring and committed partners here in Clackamas County who understand the critical nature of this issue,” said Melissa Erlbaum, Executive Director of Clackamas Women’s Services. “Strangulation assault results in serious injuries to the victim and shows up frequently in the actions of mass shooters and people who murder police officers- this is a crime against society.”

The Clackamas County delegation is led by A Safe Place Family Justice Center and includes representatives from Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, Health Housing and Human Services, Lake Oswego Police Department and Clackamas Women’s Services. Their attendance at the Institute is the beginning of a larger effort to develop a multi-disciplinary strangulation prevention and response protocol for Clackamas County. The delegation intends to bring the information learned at the Institute back to Clackamas County to improve identification and response to domestic and sexual violence survivors who have been strangled, and hold offenders accountable. Strangulation is one of the leading predictors of domestic violence homicide.

“Across America, more than 50% of all high risk domestic violence victims are strangled by their partners.  Most survive but many suffer brain injuries and other major long-term health impacts and don’t even know it,” said Gael Strack, CEO of Alliance for HOPE International. “The lack of external injuries and the lack of medical training for domestic violence and sexual assault professionals has minimized the focus on this type of violence.”

Many states still do not adequately address this violence in their criminal statutes, policies, or responses. Currently in Oregon, strangulation is classified as a misdemeanor unless witnessed by a child, the victim is known to be pregnant, the offender has prior convictions, or if a weapon is used, which raises the crime to a felony.

The delegation is advocating for the passage of SB 1562, introduced this legislative session by Senator Kathleen Taylor, which would reclassify strangulation in domestic violence cases to a felony, thereby providing longer-term safety for survivors.

Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts took to Twitter this week to express his reaction to the proposed policy changes.

I and many others testified in favor of previous attempts at legislation on this matter. I’ve seen first-hand the physical/emotional impact on survivors, and support this crucial bill strengthening our domestic violence laws to hold offenders accountable.https://t.co/VtszvjHQQV

— Craig Roberts (@SheriffRoberts) February 2, 2018

Strangulation is recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. Survivors who experience non-fatal strangulation at the hands of an intimate partner are 6 times more likely to be victims of attempted homicide. The terror survivors experience often keeps them from reaching out to support services, law enforcement, or receiving medical treatment. Strangulation is used as a powerful form of control and can have a devastating psychological effect on victims in addition to the potentially fatal outcome, including suicide.

“Most domestic violence offenders who strangle their partners want them to know they can kill them at any moment so victims will live with the knowledge of their partner’s lethality day and night,” stated Casey Gwinn, President of Alliance for HOPE International. “Once a woman is strangled, she is 750% more likely to later be killed by her partner.  Now, we can help hold these violent abusers accountable before they kill,” said Gwinn.

For more information about the Institute, please visit www.strangulationtraininginstitute.com.   To set up an interview with former San Diego City Attorney Casey Gwinn Esq. or the Institute’s founder Gael Strack, Esq. please contact Alliance for HOPE’s Michael Burke at Michael@allianceforhope.com or (619) 573-4345.

###

Incorporated in 1985 as Clackamas County’s only shelter for women and children escaping family violence, Clackamas Women’s Services (CWS) is still Clackamas County’s primary community based provider of services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. In addition to emergency shelter, CWS operates a 24/7 crisis line and wrap-around comprehensive services including safety planning,  referral and advocacy for accessing housing, legal and other services, counseling and support groups, youth prevention education, and community education. CWS employs 44 full and, and engages about 80 volunteers.